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May 8, 2009

Schadenfreude 80 (A Continuing Series)

... Rivera didn't just lose this game to Tampa, 8-6. He lost it scary. In the ninth inning, he gave up back-to-back homers for the first time in his career and was pulled with two outs by a concerned Joe Girardi, who had the audacity to question the pitcher's velocity and health. ...

His ERA is now 3.97, and Rivera no longer appears completely immune from the jeering of impatient Yankee fans with extremely short memories. ...

Rivera said he thought he made good pitches, which is generally a sign of denial for a struggling pitcher. No matter how you paint it, the Yankees are off to one of their patented lousy starts again. There is nothing sadder than lost glory, except the pretense that the glory still exists.

Speaking of jeering, I believe I have a photograph of the biggest idiot Yankee fan in the world. Yes, the candidates are far from few, but this guy may be the top moron:He's talking trash to Mariano Rivera. A Yankee fan. Giving Rivera shit. It doesn't get any dumber than that.

Many of us are, but not everyone. Ortiz has been booed this year. We heard it clearly on NESN. Some people tried to write it off as "yoook"s, but it was a distinctly different sound - and much earlier, while Ortiz was still at the plate.

I don't which is more galling to me - Sox fans booing Ortiz, or some Red Sox fans' belief that "we're too smart for that". Sox fans are people like anyone else. That means some of them are dumb, ungrateful idiots.

"I have a hard time imagining ME booing Rivera, never mind some alleged Yankee fan."

I like that. There are players whose talents and performance should have earned our respect, no matter what team they're on. I realize that most Sox fans don't feel that way, but it's good to know some do.

That's awesome. I once sat by some people at Fenway who, during the seventh inning of the game, were talking about how poorly Papelbon was pitching. I had to politely explain that, since this was the 7th inning and the pitcher in question was a sidearming lefty and that the big sign that was clearly visible from where we were sitting pretty clearly said "Lopez" that I was reasonably confident that the pitcher in question was not Papelbon.

I like the respect for Mo...that heckler should get the hell out of Yankee Stadium....Mo, Jeter & Posada should be untouchable. I feel the same way for Ortiz. He plays the game like a true player, classy, selfless, and he's all about the team....while I get so irritated by Papelbon, Pedroia, and Youk....I have true respect for Papi...he's gonna turn it around.

Only if as player has always been a liability or has spent a complete season running being a liability do they get my boos. Ortiz gets his season to succeed. After that he is a comeback player at best and that sometimes works out for a couple good years down the line but I am afraid he may not be on this team when he is coming back.